When the weather gets this cold, I find it's best to just close your eyes and dream of warmer days.

With that in mind, this week's Concert Corner video chat with CineStars' Brittany Umar doesn't focus on this week's show so much as the Summerfest headliners announced for 2013 so far. But I've also got some details on the best bets this week. | Feb. 21, 2013»Read Full Blog Post

No, you wouldn't have to give the local jazzy pop singer and pianist a dime. But you could give her your votes at ArtistSignal.com, a website that helps users discover and promote artists. Users can log in through Facebook and vote for their favorites, earning perks from artists in exchange for their votes, as with Kickstarter. Not only do artists gain exposure, the act with the most votes at the end of each month gets $10,000. | Feb. 21, 2013»Read Full Article

The show opens 7 p.m. Friday at the Marcus Center's Todd Wehr Theater. First Stage had added 7 p.m. performances March 9, 23, 26 and 27 to the schedule. The March 27 show will close the run. | Feb. 21, 2013»Read Full Article(1)

Burke's Irish Castle

It's your last chance to catch up on Oscar contenders. Lucky for you many of them are still playing at a theater (or TV screen) near you.

AMC Mayfair Mall shows the final five best-picture nominees in a package on Saturday, and the Marcus Ridge Cinema is showing eight of the nine in package deals on Friday and Saturday; the movies are included below, but check the theaters' websites for details. And those nominated live-action and animated short films are still playing at the Oriental Theatre. | Feb. 21, 2013»Read Full Article

"Snitch" strives to tell a timely, meaningful story about the war on drugs and, specifically, mandatory minimum-sentencing laws that result in people serving years and even decades in prison for drug convictions.

It concludes with a message that, because of these laws, people on average serve more time for drug offenses than they do for rape, child abuse or manslaughter. | Feb. 21, 2013»Read Full Article

A beer with 'Shaun'

Sure, some folks shuffle along with "The Walking Dead," but if you want the best zombies on the screen, you want "Shaun of the Dead." Good thing the 2004 comedy - about an underachiever (Simon Pegg) battling the undead with a cricketer's bat - is showing at 8 p.m. Friday in the Beer and a Movie series at Turner Hall Ballroom, 1040 N. 4th St. | Feb. 21, 2013»Read Full Article

One afternoon, a long-widowed man taking his daily walk decides to "go a little crazy," choosing a different path. He stumbles upon a dog park, as well as "the most beautiful woman I've seen in 20 years."

The menu's been released for the Best of Milwaukee Beer Dinner on Feb. 25 (this one is a fund-raiser for a wounded veteran whose wife is expecting twins). It's being paired with Goose Island beers, including one recently released only in Chicago, Golden Goddess. Cooking that night are some of the city's heavy-hitters, chefs Daniel Jacobs of Wolf Peach, Justin Aprahamian of Sanford, Dan Van Rite of Hinterland and Paul Zerkel of Odd Duck:

Get your best boogie-down move out of the attic and join in the attempt to break the Guinness World Record for Soul Train Dance Line Thursday at the Potawatomi Bingo Casino. If you don't get in the line itself, you can have a blast from the past watching the fun.

Take a different kind of stroll down Memory Lane at the Mitchell Park Domes Thursday night during "Elvis Tribute Night." This is one of the most popular Domes events, and Wisconsin's own Tony Rocker & The Comeback Special will perform. Dress up like The King and you could win $100. | Feb. 21, 2013»Read Full Blog Post